Just A Few Numbers Away

Chapter 8

The Tropical Trap

A week before our flight to the Philippines, the staff gave us another briefing.

We were told that we'll be traveling earlier to the country for another schedule.

The guys suddenly got excited about it, and it made me tense up again.

'I shouldn't let this get to me. I'll be fine.'

Then RM asked the staff what schedule it would be, and they told us we will be doing our Summer Package on one of the islands in the Philippines.

No.

This can't be happening.

We shouldn't go anywhere aside from Manila.

Why did they decide to do the summer package there?

The more we moved within the country, the more the numbers on my wrist would dance-up, down, or worse, toward zero.

The archipelago was a labyrinth of possibilities, and I was terrified of finding the exit.

Every domestic flight we took felt like a game of Russian Roulette with my destiny.

The briefing went on.

The guys asked questions, being excited, and all while I stayed silent and unbothered.

Jin-hyung kept glancing at me with that worried look.

The guys must've noticed it my lack of participation, so when we went home and arrived at the dorm, RM told everyone to gather around and talk.

They all noticed (aside from Jin-hyung) the shadow that's been bothering me since they announced the Philippines tour.

I sighed and nodded. I guess I couldn't hide it any longer.

They all know me too well.

No, that's not it.

We all know each other too well.

I told them about my soulmate incident that happened a year ago, which until now, only Jin-hyung knew.

I explained the plummeting digits and the suffocating feeling of fate closing in.

That's why it bothered me to come back to the Philippines.

They listened well while I kept talking about it, and after that, they assured me that I'd be fine.

Then suddenly, Jimin asked me something and I was taken aback.

'Hyung, do you not want to meet your soulmate? I understand that for now, you want to focus on your career, but how about in the future, Hyung? Will you not look for that person then?'

Silence.

They all looked at me and waited for my answer.

The air in the dorm felt heavy, charged with a question I had spent years trying to outrun.

The answer was locked behind a door I wasn't ready to open.

I looked away and told them 'I don't know.'

After that, nobody talked about it.

I guess they didn't want to pry anymore and just wanted to let me handle it since it's my business.

But they assured me that they did understand and that they'll support me in whatever my decision is, which I'm really glad for.

But in all honesty, it was the only truth I had.